Take-off mechanism for loosely withdrawing a web of sheeting from a driven roller

ABSTRACT

A take-off mechanism, for loosely withdrawing a web of material from a driven roller, particularly an embossing roller, comprising friction wheels engaged with end portions of the driven roller and having internal toothing meshed with a rotatable fixed pinion, a further rotatable fixed pinion meshed with the pinion and with a gear wheel rotatably mounted on a nonrotatable shaft, the gear wheel being drivably connected to a take-off roller rotatably mounted on said shaft and of smaller diameter than the driven roller and the mechanism being so proportioned and disposed that the peripheral speed of the takeoff roller is equal to the peripheral speed of the driven roller.

United States Patent [191 Schwarze TAKE-OFF MECHANISM FOR 'LOOSELY WITI-IDRAWING A WEB OF SI'IEETING FROM A DRIVEN ROLLER Friedrich Schwarze, Hannover, Germany Hermann Berstorlf Maschinenbau GmbII, l-lannover-Kleefeld and der Breiten Wiese, Germany Filed: June 26, 1972 Appl. No.: 265,998

Inventor:

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data July 2, 1971 Germany P 21 32 893.8

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1970 Mathus et al 226/181 X [451 July 3, 1973 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles AttorneyDonald D. Jefiery [57] ABSTRACT A take-off mechanism, for loosely withdrawing a web of material from a driven roller, particularly an embossing roller, comprising friction wheels engaged with end portions of the driven roller and having internal toothing meshed with a rotatable fixed pinion, a further rotatable fixed pinion meshed with the pinion and with a gear wheel rotatably mounted on a non-rotatable shaft, the gear wheel being drivably connected to a take-off roller rotatably mounted on said shaft and of smaller diameter than the driven roller and the mechanism being so proportioned and disposed that the peripheral speed of the take-off roller is equal to the peripheral speed of the driven roller.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures AIENIEDJUL 3191s 3, 743.156

sum 1 0f 2 Pmmnnm ama 3.743.156

SHEEI 2 m 2 F/GE TAKE-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOSELY WITHDRAWING A WEB OF SHEETING FROM A DRIVEN ROLLER The invention relates to a take-off mechanism for loosely withdrawing a web of sheeting moved by a driven roller, for example an embossing roller.

In practice one very frequently encounters the problem of how to pull sheeting which is extremely soft and sensitive to tension off a driven roller, for example an embossing roller, over a roller of smaller diameter. Such sheeting, which is very thin, soft and sensitive to tension may be intended for making waterproof pants for babies.

In order to prevent the sheeting from tearing, it is necessary for two rollers of different diameter to have one and the same peripheral speed for only then can it be ensured that the web of sheeting being withdrawn continuously from the embossing roller will not be subjected to any tension or compression.

According to the invention there is provided a takeoff mechanism, for loosely withdrawing a web of material from a driven roller, comprising a hollow take-off roller having a smaller diameter than the driven roller and mounted for rotation about a non-rotatable shaft, friction wheels engaged with end portions of the driven roller, each friction wheel having internal toothing meshed with a fixedly mounted pinion, which pinion is rotatable about its axis, and is also meshed with a further fixedly mounted pinion which is rotatable about its axis and is meshed with a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, the gear wheel being drivably connected to the take-off roller and the mechanism being so proportioned and disposed that the peripheral speed of the take-off roller is equal to the peripheral speed of the driven roller.

The working surface of the take-up roller, that is to say the surface over which the web of sheeting is passed, does not contact the surface of the driven roller, but the peripheral speed of the take-up roller is nevertheless equal to that of the driven roller.

Preferably, the pinion and the further pinion are mounted in plates which bound the friction wheels in one direction.

In a take-off mechanism according to the invention, despite the different diameters of the two rollers, their peripheral speed can always be the same, so that even very soft, thin and sensitive sheeting can be withdrawn from the driven roller without being damaged.

One embodiment of a take-off mechanism according to the invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a take-off mechanism according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a web of sheeting F is fed to an embossing roller 1, which is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow A.

The sheeting F, which is extremely thin and sensitive to tension, is removed from the embossing roller 1 by a take-off roller 2 which is of smaller diameter than the embossing roller 1. It is at the place of withdrawal that the sheeting F is frequently torn when using conventional take-off rollers.

The take-off roller 2 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow B on a shaft 3 and can be moved towards or away from the embossing roller 1. In the embodiment illustrated this is done by arranging the shaft 3 so that it can be displaced and arrested within slots 4 in mounting plates 5 one of which is provided at each end of the take-off roller 2. The shaft 3 is mounted stationary and the roller 2 is rotatable thereon.

For the sake of clarity only one end of each of the two rollers 1, 2 are illustrated in FIG. 2, but substantially identical mechanisms are provided at each of the ends thereof.

Friction wheels 6 are mounted for rotation about the shaft 3 and are each drivably engaged with the embossing roller 1. Each friction wheel 6 has internal toothing 7, extending around the inner periphery thereof.

Each internal toothing 7 is engaged by a respective pinion 8 which is fixedly but rotatably mounted in a plate 9 fixed to the stationary shaft 3, a shaft of the pinion 8 being mounted in the plate 9 by a needle bearing 10. The pinion 8 engages a further pinion 11 (FIG. 1) which is also fixedly but rotatably mounted in the plate 9. The rotary movement of the further pinion 11 is transmitted to a gear wheel 12 which is connected by bushings 13, 14 to the take-off roller 2. The gear wheel 12 is mounted so as to rotate about the shaft 3, and when it does so its rotary movement is transmitted to the take-off roller 2.

The internal toothing 7, the pinions 8, l1 and the gear wheel 12 are so designed that the rollers l, 2 have the same peripheral speed.

The take-off roller 2 operates as follows:

The rotary movement of the driven embossing roller 1 is transmitted to the take-off roller 2 by the two friction wheels 6. If, as in the embodiment illustrated and as viewed in FIG. 1, the embossing roller 1 is turning clockwise, then the two friction wheels 6 and thus the corresponding internal toothing 7 will turn anticlockwise. This movement of the internal toothing 7 is transmitted to the pinion 8 which is thereby rotated an ti-clockwise. Rotation of the pinion 8 rotates the further pinion ll clockwise and the further pinion 11 rotates the gear wheel 12 anti-clockwise. The gear wheel 12, by means of the bushings 13, 14, rotates the takeoff roller 2 anti-clockwise as indicated by arrow B in FIG. 1.

The function of the further pinion 11 is thus to cause the rollers 1', 2 to rotate-in opposite directions.

To determine the dimensions and number of teeth required for the internal toothing 7, the pinions 8 and 11 and the gear wheel 12 is within the knowledge of a man skilled in the art and it is therefore unnecessary to describe in detail how the step up and step down ratios must be selected in order to ensure that the same peripheral speed will always be obtained despite the different diameters of the rollers l, 2.

What is claimed is:

l. A take-off mechanism, for loosely withdrawing a web of material from a driven roller, comprising a hollow take-off roller having a smaller diameter thanthe driven roller; a non-rotatable shaft; means mounting the take-off roller for rotation on said shaft; friction wheels engaged with end portions of said driven roller; internal toothing for each friction wheel; and, at each end of said take-off roller, a fixedly mounted pinion mounted for rotation about its axis and meshed with said internal toothing; a further fixedly mounted pinion rotatable about its axis and meshed with said fixedly mounted pinion; a gear wheel rotatably mounted on wherein said driven roller is an embossing roller.

3. A take-off mechanism as claimed in claim 1, including at each of the ends of said take-off roller, a plate which lies adjacent the respective end of said take-off roller and mounts said fixedly mounted pinion and said further fixedly mounted pinion. 

1. A take-off mechanism, for loosely withdrawing a web of material from a driven roller, comprising a hollow take-off roller having a smaller diameter than the driven roller; a nonrotatable shaft; means mounting the take-off roller for rotation on said shaft; friction wheels engaged with end portions of said driven roller; internal toothing for each friction wheel; and, at each end of said take-off roller, a fixedly mounted pinion mounted for rotation about its axis and meshed with said internal toothing; a further fixedly mounted pinion rotatable about its axis and meshed with said fixedly mounted pinion; a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft and meshed with said further fixedly mounted pinion; and means drivably connecting said gear wheel and said take-off roller; the mechanism being so proportioned and disposed that in oPeration the peripheral speed of said take-off roller is equal to the peripheral speed of said driven roller.
 2. A take-off mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driven roller is an embossing roller.
 3. A take-off mechanism as claimed in claim 1, including at each of the ends of said take-off roller, a plate which lies adjacent the respective end of said take-off roller and mounts said fixedly mounted pinion and said further fixedly mounted pinion. 